When the new season started, many fans were a little surprised to see Jason Puncheon still at Underhill, having expected a bigger club to have snapped him up over the summer. However, Puncheon was in the side for the opening day match away at league newcomers, Morecambe.
The following Tuesday, he scored his first goal of the season, a superb drive from the edge of the penalty area at Norwich City in the 1st round of the Carling Cup. Unfortunately, Barnet lost the match 5-2! On the Saturday, Punch scored the opener at home to Hereford United with an outstanding volley from the edge of the penalty area, but Barnet lost again, this time 2-1.
The following Saturday, at Brentford, Punch made it three outstanding goals in three consecutive matches with a tremendous left foot strike from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner of the net. Unfortunately, it was also 3 defeats in a row for the Bees and 3 players sent off in 3 games, leaving Barnet 21st in the table with just 1 point from the opening 3 matches.
The following Saturday saw the Bees win their first league game of the season, at home to Bradford City. An own goal, set up by Puncheon, put the bees ahead at half time and following City's equaliser, a stunning late fee kick from Puncheon gave the Bees the three points. It was to be voted goal of the season. The win took Barnet up to 15th.
Punch had 4 goals from 5 games and each of the goals had been spectacular. At Dagenham, he set up Anthony Thomas for a real scorcher of a goal, with a clever free-kick routine. A few weeks later he scored a penalty at home to Rotherham United and scored an excellent winner at home to Wycombe Wanderers, taking a pass from Adam Birchall, before moving into the penalty area before hitting a shot that was saved by the Wycombe keeper, but then having the presence of mind to fire home the rebound. Barnet were in the middle of a 10 match unbeaten run that took them into a play-off position. In the home match against Mansfield Town he had a great opportunity to add to his tally, and give Barnet a win, but he saw his late penalty saved.
The goal against Wycombe gave him his 6th goal of the season and, in early November, he added to that with another superb goal, in the 1-1 home draw with Notts County. It was another left foot strike from outside the penalty area, which flew into the top scorer, though it did get a bit of a deflection on the way.
Puncheon missed the 1st round, FA Cup match at Burton because of suspension after receiving 5 yellow cards, but was soon back in the side and on Boxing day, he scored his first hat trick of the season in the home, derby match with Dagenham & Redbridge. His first came from the penalty spot after he had been brought down in the penalty area following some typical trickery. Punch's second came when he received the ball in the penalty area, neatly side stepped a couple of players, before clipping the ball into the net. He completed his hat trick with another gem of a gaol, sending a searing shot from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner of the net.
Many felt that, with the January transfer window opening, that would be a kind of signing off for Puncheon, not unlike when Tresor Kandol left for Leeds after scoring a hat trick against Rochdale. Leeds were one of a number of clubs, including Premiership, Fulham, who were interested in Puncheon and it was reported that the club turned down offers from Leeds and Fulham for Jason.
Jason was probably disappointed, though unlike with Nicky Bailey, the year before, he did not ask to be transfer listed and acted very well about it in public, pledging his support to the club and to Paul Fairclough. However, in the second half of the season he didn't quite seem to perform as well as he had in the first half, sometimes rather drifting in and out of games. This caused a number of fans to feel that he should be dropped as they believed that he wasn't pulling his weight. He also incurred the wrath of his manager when he was needlessly sent off in the home match with Peterborough for kicking the ball at the linesman.
However, Puncheon could still light up matches even if he wasn't scoring. He made two goals in the 4-1 home win over Shrewsbury Town, the Bees' first win following 5 defeats on the spin, but he was then suspended for 4 matches following the Peterborough game and then, after serving his ban, found himself on the bench for a while, as the Bees' form improved and the goals started coming. He returned for the last six games of the season, however, and scored his first goal since Christmas in the last home game of the season against promotion chasing Stockport County. Barnet won a free kick just outside the penalty area, at the start of the second half and, after Puncheon's initial shot had come back off the wall, he drove, right footed, a fine shot into the back of the net to put Barnet ahead in a match they eventually won 2-1. It was his 11th goal of the season. It proved to be his last goal for Barnet in his last appearance, in a Barnet shirt, at Underhill. He made his final appearance for the Bees in the last game of the season at Rotherham.
At the end of the season, it was announced that Puncheon would be signing for Plymouth Argyle for £250,000. A lot of money for a player Barnet had picked up for free just two years before. However, he was greatly missed at Underhill as he was a very talented player who could light up many a dull match. Most of the goals that he scored for Barnet were of a very high standard and will be remembered for many a long time. It was his goals that won the goal of the year award in both the seasons he was at the club. In 2006/07 it was the goal that beat Colchester in the FA Cup 3rd round and last season it was the last minute goal that beat Bradford City at Underhill. I'm sure all Barnet fans will welcome back Punch to Underhill tonight and wish him all the best for the new season with Southampton.
